1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of implementing smooth panning close to a predetermined speed by performing image stabilization considering a panning (the movement or rotation in a horizontal plane) operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In moving image capturing, a smooth panning operation is usually required with camera work. However, when performing image capturing using a hand-held camera or when performing manual panning using a tripod, it is difficult to move the hands at a predetermined speed, and it is very difficult to execute smooth panning close to a predetermined speed.
In recent years, correcting image blurs derived from camera shakes is an indispensable function of an image capturing apparatus, such as a video camera, when capturing a moving image. As for image stabilization related to a panning operation, there are many proposed techniques such as a method of correcting an image blur perpendicular to a panning direction (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-115322).
The image stabilization method according to the above conventional technique can correct an image blur perpendicular to a panning direction but cannot correct an image blur in the same direction as the panning direction (horizontal direction). It is therefore difficult to implement a smooth panning operation close to a predetermined speed for a user's panning operation.